Dancing in the streets of New York
by xAppleDownx
Summary: She got to wear the silly hat and the black gown. She got her diploma and stuck out her toung. After that she moved to the city where you find the statue of Liberty. And then one confusing Saturday she bums into a very old friend. Narco!Chapter 5 is up.
1. Chapter 1: So long ago

The sound of shoes hitting the ground in a quick walk was new for Rory. After yesterday she was totally drained for energy. Just as soon as she placed her head on the pillow she fell asleep. Now it was morning and the first sunbeams found their way through the curtains. Usually Rory woke up early, but now she was just too tired. When she finally opened her eyes, it was 10 in the morning. "Oh no!" she jumped out of bed, and found her working cloths; a very elegant suit. She hurried out the door and ran down the street. She tried to get a cab, but they just drove past her.

"Perfect!" she sighed. She couldn't get late for her job, she was new in the business. She looked up while she kept walking. She still couldn't believe that she was actually living in New York now. Suddenly Rory bumped into somebody. She lost her purse and ended up on the ground.

"Hey, what the hell are… Rory! Is that you?" Rory looked up and two beautiful eyes caught her attention. It couldn't be, could it? It was hard to believe that after six years apart from each other, they suddenly met in New York.

"Are you okay?" He put a hand out, and helped her up.

"Hi… Dean…" She looked into the ground while she said it.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked softly. She took a deep breath and then she faced him, her first love.

"I live here, and actually I have to go. Work's calling, you know." Rory mumbled, she really didn't have time to chit-chat as her mother would call it. Dean laughed a little and handed her, her purse.

"On a Saturday?" He asked. Rory's mouth slipped open. Saturday? That didn't make any sense to her at all. She didn't work Saturdays, but did that mean that she had the whole day of? Suddenly she realized that he was actually telling her the truth, and she was the one that had mixed the days up.

They walked down the street heading towards a Starbuck's Coffee. They both ordered a cup, and then sat down at a bench in a park. The coffee didn't taste, as it should, if Rory was the one to decide. She has grown up with a mum, that couldn't live without coffee. She had always learned that coffee had to be from "Luke's", nothing else was "right". None of them said anything; they were both waiting for the other one to start a conversation.

"So, how are things in Stars Hollow?" Rory drank a bit of the coffee before she answered.

"Fine, just fine. Well, I haven't been there in a month now, so who knows. Maybe Taylor's dead?" They both laughed a bit to that comment.

"So you live in New York now? That's great, I mean it's a great city, and it's even greater with great people." Dean nodded slowly. He was still the same person as he was six years ago, but he was more grown, they both were. It was hard for Rory to believe what they had done back then. "The textbook definition of a perfect moment." Was what she said. Now it sounded so strange. She remembered how she had insisted to be an adult. "I'm not a kid! I'm nineteen!" The fight she had had with her mother was so long ago, but now, when Dean; a person from her past, was sitting beside her, she was reminded of it all.

"So… how long have you lived here?" Dean's question came as an explosion for her.

"Hm… Two months I think." He nodded, and then turned his attention back to the coffee.

Rory entered her flat late that night. The first thing she did was sitting taking a glass of water. She just needed to clear her mind and think everything over that had happened this night. She was totally confused, and had no idea about which parts of it, that had actually happened. Maybe it had all been a dream. If she had just know what would happen in a few weeks.

When she woke up the next morning, she felt completely empty, having no idea about what to do. She got up when her phone rang.

"Rory here" she mumbled.

"Still asleep, huh?" It was her mother.

"Yeah… Well, no not anymore. Maybe I should call you 'Wake up' instead of mum?" They both laughed a bit. Rory opened her fridge and found something that could be eaten.

"How's NY? And by the way, then you should come home for the town meeting. Taylor has a big announcement to make, God knows what!" Rory heard Lorelai chuckle, and she knew that this wasn't a private conversation any longer. Lorelai wasn't single anymore, and she hadn't been that for six years now.

"Now York is great… Well, I better get going, busy day lie ahead."

As she hung up she wondered if she should tell her mother about the meeting with Dean, or that he was back in her life, not exactly as a boyfriend but just as a friend. I so she thought. They had agreed to meet in Central Park around noon and then spend the rest of the day together. She looked at the clock it was only ten. Still two hours to go. She sat down by her computer and started writing at the article she had to finish. She was almost done, but there was still small adjustments to add here and there. One hour past and she was done. She smiled a little, 'cause for the first time since she got the job she was actually happy with her work. After shutting the computer down she started to look all of her clothes through, but there was nothing that would fit the "occasion". Suddenly her she remembered the time her mother was totally lost when she and Luke just got back together and how she needed a back-together-with-Luke dress for her back-together-with-Luke date. So Rory decided to do some last-chance-shopping. She ran outside and down the street towards the closest shop. Inside she looked around and when she looked up she suddenly starred at a shop assistant.

"Can I help you? Looking for anything specific?"

"Uh well…"

"Maybe you should try this one" The shop assistant was suddenly standing with a light-blue dress-looking this in her hands.

"It will make your eyes stand out and it will look great with these white jeans"

Rory just nodded and soon she was walking out of the shop with a bag in her hand. Somehow it all fit her perfectly and when she put in on back home she was happy with herself. A rare thing and then two times in one day. Thirty minutes to noon. She wandered down the streets and easily got a cab.

"Central Park" she said and soon she was standing there. The sun was shining bright and the birds were all welcoming the spring gladly. A perfect day was what it was. She sat down on a bench and waited. Only five minutes later she suddenly felt somebody sit down beside her and when she turned around he was there.

"I'm fifteen minutes early and you're earlier. I should've known, I mean you're Rory Gilmore, and I guess you haven't changed."

"I'm not that early, am I? Well, I didn't expect the cab to drive here without traffic problems, but it seems like everything is just floating for me today."

"Floating?"

"Yeah, everything happens the way I wants them to."

"Well, we should get started"

"Started?"

"Rory, we haven't talked in six years. The last time I saw you, you were nineteen now you're 25."

"Oh like that."

"So what have you been doing the past six years?"

"Yale, yacht…"

"More details"

"Well I had this boyfriend, Logan Huntzburger…" Rory saw how uncomfortable Dean felt when he heard the name. Logan had been there the evening Dean broke up with Rory for the third time, at her grandparents house.

"Well, I stole a yacht with him."

"You did what?"

"I stole a yacht and then I dropped out of Yale, and then led to a major fight with my mom and…"

"You dropped out of Yale and had a major fight with your mom? I'm lost!"

"Yeah, I understand. But that's years ago now. I returned to Yale, graduated and then broke up with Logan. Short after I started dating this guys called James and then we got engaged."

"Engaged? So you're married?"

"No, we never got that far. I'm my mother's daughter, if you remember that Max guy, my teacher at Chilton. My mom broke up with him too."

"So you broke up with him?"

"Three days before the wedding." Dean just nodded and then they both fell silent. Rory suddenly remembered how scared she'd been and then she just said stop. She remembered how she went to her mother and Luke's house in the middle of the night and then she started to cry and ramble about everything.

"Three days…"

"Yup… What about you?"

"Well… I've been living in New York for three years now. Pretty soon after we… the party at your grandparents house I moved back to Chicago and I lived there for around three years before I moved here. I've been doing some studying and…"

"You went back to school?" Rory cut him off.

"Yes I did, and I graduated and now I'm a dentist."

"Dentist? I thought you wanted to design clothes?"

"I'm working on it."

"Oh okay. Great, good."

They were just sitting like that for a while, having no idea about what to say. It was all a little awkward, but still it felt right.

"So… Well, I asked you about Stars Hollow yesterday."

"Yes you did. By the way I talked to my mother and she didn't mention anything about Taylor being dead, so I think he's still alive."

"What about your mother? How's she doing?"

"Probably better than ever, though she's not exactly happy about the fact that she's over 40. Her and Luke got married and now they have a daughter. Laura, she's 3."

"Wow…" was all Dean could say. Suddenly it felt like they were out of topics and there they sat for almost an hour without saying a word. Rory still somehow felt save and happy in an indescribable way. Maybe they could make it work this time… Maybe…


	2. Explenation Warning: sucks!

Hi, sorry it took me so long to update.

* * *

Rory opened her eyes and stared at the room she was in. It was her own bed in her own apartment, but why did this seem so unfamiliar then? She got up and looked at the alarm clock beside the bed. It only said 6Am, so she still had two hours before work. She walked out in kitchen and poured herself some coffee. She usually got Luke to send her some coffee, but she hadn't been able to make it to Hartford and Friday night dinner last week, so she had to buy some crappy instant coffee.

"_Don't go to Starbucks everyday to get coffee! They'll rip you out of money."_

Rory laughed when she thought of her mother's goodbye before she moved to New York. It had been a tearful goodbye especially because of Laura. She'd clustered herself to Rory and refused to let go. In the end Lorelai had to pull her inside and let her call Gigi. When Lorelai came back out Rory was the one to cluster herself to her mother. Even though she'd been on her own ever since she started at Yale, she still felt like she'd been living at home. She had her room, and she could always run to Lorelai. But now she was going to be all on her own. Even during the time she'd lived together with James _Butthead_, she ran to her mom every time they had an argument.

"Yuck!" The coffee didn't take like coffee, it tasted more like garbage to Rory, though she'd never tasted garbage. Rory slowly walked through the apartment. On the walls there were hanging pictures of her and her mom. Suddenly Rory felt like she had to change some of the pictures, so she grabbed the shoebox she had old pictures in. The first bundle was from Lorelai and Luke's wedding. They had been through so much before the day her mother had dreamed of for so long finally came. The planning for this wedding had only taken a week after Luke suddenly realized how he'd treated Lorelai since April showed up. After the night where Lorelai suggested they eloped, Luke had been fighting himself. And it all ended up with him coming to Lorelai's house with some clothes packed in a bag, ready for elope. But Babette saw it through her window and the next day a wedding was set up at the Dragonfly. And then around seven months later Laura arrived to the planet.

Another bundle showed her at her Yale graduation. There was one where she was sitting together with Logan. Logan… The last she's heard of him was that he got married with some blond woman from a rich family and that they were expecting their second child. His whole college time he's done everything to work against his father, and then suddenly he'd become a real Huntzburger. It started not long before her graduation. His year in London had changed him to the person Rory feared he would become. And then only a day after her graduation she broke up with him.

Rory kept looking through the photos until she found what she was looking for. The Dean bundle. She smiled as she looked through them. They were the ones to be on the wall now, but then it hit her. What if Dean one day cam by? What would he think if he saw them? She took the best one and put all the other pictures back in the box and placed them behind the couch again. Then she looked at the clock. 7.15 it said. 45 minutes before she had to be at work.

* * *

"Rory, hey!"

"Dean?"

"If you say so" he smiled at her, and she felt her heart pound faster than it had ever since she met him the first time. She was standing in line at Starbuck's looking forward to finally have some real coffee.

"Haven't seen you in days" she mumbled, when it was her turn

"Can I help you?"

"Black coffee with extra whip cream and milk, please."

"Make it two and put it on my tap"

"Dean, you didn't have to" she said when he handed the money to the lady behind the counter.

"But I want to" he said with a smile. She chuckled and followed him out on the street where they automatically started walking towards the park where they had their first real conversation.

* * *

Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, did I mention I'm sorry?

This story really sucks, I get it, but please don't hate me for it.

I know this part I veeeeeery short and crappy but I just kind of lost the story after two words, so I'm going to jump a little in time in the next chapter. Hey, wait up. Do you guys want me to continue or shall I just dump it all?

Please tell me!


	3. Cornstarch

Okay, I have to jump a little in time or this story will die, so please don't hate me for skipping months… So here comes a little explanation…

Rory and Dean have spend a lot of time together and both are starting to feel something for each other again. Please don't hate me for screwing this story up.

* * *

"_Yummy! This coffee tastes better than ever!"_ Rory thought as she almost swallowed the third cup of coffee within 15 minutes. She was waiting for Dean, but for some reason he was late. She couldn't clarify why, but she had an idea about that he'd forgotten about her. Twenty minutes passed, and she was getting a little anxious. Where the hell could he be? After knowing each other for ten years, though she hadn't seen him for 6 years, he had never been late… And then suddenly he was there. 

"Rory, I'm so sorry" he said as he sat down on the other side of the table.

"Dean, really it's okay."

"I let you wait, not okay"

"Now you sound like me ten years ago" she giggled. _"And this coffee tastes even better!"_

"How many cups of coffee?"

"Only seven… But I can drink ten more" and so she did. They spend two hours at Starbuck just drinking coffee, before Rory finally felt full. But there was something missing. Exactly what she didn't know. Just something. She looked out the window and saw a couple walking down the street. The girl was leaning her head against the boy's should and sometimes they stopped to kiss. Then Rory realized what she missed; a relationship, but one of them that would last, and she knew the only one she could ever had that with was sitting right in front of her. She suddenly felt a tear roll down her chick.

"Rory are you okay?"

"What?"

"Anything wrong?"

"Just a bit emotional. I think I've had one to many cups of coffee."

"Sounds just like your mom."

"Yeah… I should better get home" a sudden feeling of fear hit her and she felt like she had to run away from him. What if he didn't want her again? What if he just wanted to be "just friends"? Them, them who'd been through so much, together and apart. Them, she loved to hear the word 'them', she loved them together and most of all she loved him. She slowly got up and left Dean. Or so she thought, but soon he was walking beside her.

"Rory what's going on with you?"

"Nothing's going on with me" she shouted back and continued walking.

"Where are you going?"

"Home"

"_Home_, other direction Rory."

She looked up and realized she was walking in the total opposite direction of her apartment.

"Gah, stupid New York. To many streets…" she mumbled before she turned around and started to walk home. Surprisingly enough Dean kept following her.

"Why are you following me?" she asked angrily. Right now he was just bugging her. _"Why?"_ she could ask herself, just to get the answer _"Because I still love you"_

"Rory wait up" he said and grabbed her arm. She was forced to stop, but she refused to look him in the eyes. Then he would see it. See she was crying and see that she still loved him and couldn't stand just to be around him. It was just to much.

"Rory…" she just shook her head, and before she had time to run away, rain started to pour down. Really wet and cold rain. God she hated rain sometime. She felt Dean's fingers under her chin. He lifted her head so she was forced to stare into his eyes.

"Cornstarch" she suddenly said. Dean opened mouth and was about to answer, but suddenly Rory was gone. He just saw her disappear into some mini market. When he entered he saw her disappear down aisle three. Aisle three? That sounded familiar.

"Rory?" He saw her standing there in front the cornstarch.

"Aisle three, cornstarch. Where are we?"

"In some weird mini market."

"Doose's?"

"No, Rory we're in New York."

"Oh, I have to go." and then she ran out of the mini market again, leaving Dean totally confused.

Rory was standing outside the mini market. She couldn't just leave like she did the last time. Not just with a "Thank you".

At the same time Dean came out and saw Rory standing right there in the rain.

* * *

She just stood there, paralyzed. He looked at her. Her hair was still the same brown color it had been ten years ago. He remembered the first time he saw it. He'd been the one that was paralyzed there. She'd sent him out in the universe on a rocket and there he'd landed on Venus, the planet or love. At least as far as he knew. And there he was for two years until somebody called Jess Mariano pulled him down again. God, he hated him for doing that. And then a year and a half later he was there again until Logan Huntzburger pulled him. Why had there always been someone else but him, why? Maybe it just wasn't meant to be? But he knew that he was willing to another go. Failed or not. He just knew that even if he had to go through ten miserable relationships with her, he would do it. This would be the fourth go round… If she was willing.

"Rory, come on." He took her hand and slowly pulled down the street. In the beginning she walked a little slowly, but then she gave in walked beside him in silence.

"Where are we?" she asked when he suddenly stopped.

"My place."

"Your place?"

She stared at the room she entered. Not that the room was anything specific, but the dress in the corner. It was amazing. And then she noticed the picture on the table beside it. She slowly walked over to it, just to confirm, just to be sure.

"I never gave up" he suddenly said and she felt him beside her.

"And then I met you here in New York, six years since I saw you the last time. But you were still you. Rory Gilmore, not Rory Huntzburger or Rory Mariano and not even Rory something. You were you, the girl I've always dreamed of."

"Dean…" she broke him of.

"No Rory, I'm sorry for springing it on you like that."

"That's not what I meant" she exclaimed

"What?"

* * *

"_So, um, you wanted to talk?" _

" _Yeah, talk. words... love."

* * *

_

Instead of answering Rory moved a little closer to Dean. A few inches at a time. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him gently on the lips. He kissed her back immediately.

"Are you sure about this?" he mumbled and she just kissed him harder. Three months they'd been hanging out after work, drinking coffee and all they had waited for… so suddenly.

Rory let her self fall into Dean, fall into his kiss. A kiss she had been waiting for, it was _the _kiss. The kiss of love. They were just standing there until the ran out of oxygen. When they broke apart both were smiling. She then took his hand and led him towards the bedroom.

"Is this what you want?" he forced himself to ask. He knew he had to, though he mostly just wanted it. He wanted her, he wanted to love her and hold her for the rest of his life. He wanted her to want him, he wanted her to love him back, and he wanted her to want to be in his arms for the rest of her life.

She closed the door behind them and nodded.

"This is what I've always wanted Dean. I know I screwed up with you like a thousand times but three is a lucky number and this will be our third time trying."

"Fourth" he corrected her.

"Well, four is a good number too. Luke was my mother's fourth guy. First Max then Alex, Jason and now Luke."

"Luke? Fourth? You've always told me that she'd dated like 30 guys."

"Well… fourth since we dated the first time."

"And what about your dad?"

"That was just an on-off thing they had going on."

"So Luke's the fifth guy. And I most be…"

"Fifth!" Rory exclaimed.

"Let's count." Dean was teasing her now.

"Who was your first boyfriend?"

"You!"

"And then Jess… wait a sec. We broke up before Jess showed up, so it's 3 now. And then we got together again, before you dated Logan. 5! And then James and now me. 7!"

"7 is a lucky number."

"Why don't we just forget the numbers?" Dean suggested and slowly leaned in for a kiss that Rory quickly responded.

* * *

Rory opened her eyes and then noticed the arm around her body. Dean! she started to remember the night they'd shared. God she'd missed him. And then she started to ask herself question after question. _"Are we meant to be?" "What does this mean?" "Can I trust it his time?" "Do I love him" "Does he love me?" _

Her thought were interrupted by her cell phone ringing.

"Mom? I'm sleeping here!"

"You sound pretty awake if I have to decide."

"Mom!"

"Sorry, hun. I just needed you to hear this…" Rory listened and then heard somebody sing in the other end. _Candy man…_ And then it hit her. It was their song. It must be some kind of sign. Maybe everything would work out after all.

"Taylor's celebrating the Soda Shoppe's 7 years anniversary. He's been singing all morning."

"Since when did you become a part of the 6 Am crowd?"

"Since I married a man that has to get up at 4 in morning."

"Liar!"

"Your grandparents!"

"What?"

"They wanted me to bring Laura to them before 6! I couldn't believe it, I mean. Their insane. Your granddad was apparently going to work early and he wanted to say hi before he went to work."

"Crazy!"

"Insanity is what it is."

"And when did you start to bring Laura to them instead of day care?"

"Your fault!"

"How can that be my fault?"

"Ever since you moved to New York they want to see her three times a week."

Rory laughed and that seemed to awake Dean.

"Morning beauty." he mumbled still half asleep.

"Did I just hear anybody say _morning beauty? _My, my. My daughter are seeing someone."

"Mom, not so loud!"

"Sorry, but when would you tell me? Who is this guy?"

"It's new okay. I wont tell you anything before I'm sure."

"On?"

"I just want to be sure this time."

"Rory hun, you can't decide whenever a person is the right one after one night."

"Mom!"

"Sorry, I just want you to be happy."

"I am… I am…"

* * *

I decided to post this chapter as an excuse for last chapter.  
I hope you liked it.  
And don't forget to push that little button down there! 

Asta


	4. The light in the end of the tunnel

A/N: Sorry that it took me so long to update, but I've been busy writing on my other fic 'I need coffee, you need me' and with school too. So I hope you can live with it. This part is a lot longer and probably better than any of the former, and I really put a lot of work into this chapter, so please take your time you read it and don't forget to review. I already have the plotline for the next three chapter and maybe even longer out in the future. I will try to update as often as I can over summer, but there are a few weeks whereI won't be able to "see" a computer. I'll spend a few weeks with a laptop, so I will get a lot of writing done though. Well, enjoy reading.

* * *

Rory opened the door to her apartment, but she was almost about to stumble over the big mountain of letters that were on the floor in her hallway. She picked them up and continued her walk, through the kitchen and into the living room. On the way she passed her phone and as usual she pushed the "listen-to-all-the-annoying-messages-from-people-without-no-life" button.

"_Hey Hun, I was just wondering if you're still alive? Call me back!"_

"_Hey Rory… It's me, Dean… I haven't heard from you in two weeks now, so I was getting a little nervous. I was just wondering if you're okay… Call me back!"_

"_Rory, it's me Dean again. I don't mean to be intruding, but it feels a bit like you're avoiding me. It feels a little like we're 17 again. Remember the time I called you like five times a day, and then you got tired of me? I don't want that to happen, but it seems like it already has, soo… Bye"_

"_Rory, pick the phone up! You can't let me hang around and wait for you to call me back. I've basically been living beside the phone the last two weeks. I'm not possessed, if that's what you think. I just want to know if… if you hate me or… Please, just call me or just leave a message."_

_Beep…………Beep…………Beep…………Beep…………Beep………………Beep……………………_

* * *

He was right. She had been annoying him… but ever since the night they'd spend together ,she'd felt like something was wrong. She couldn't say what it was. It was just a feeling in her gut. So she simply avoided him and hoped for the best. After his voice was gone, she hurried to look at the mail…

"Bill, bill, bill…" she mumbled as she was halfway through the letters. And then there was a postcard from her grandparents.

_

* * *

Dear Rory!_

_We hope you are enjoying your stay in New York. It's a wonderful city. And congratulation with the job at "The New York Times". We're extremely proud of you. _

_The weather here at Cape Cod is absolutely astonishing. Now we regret that we didn't buy a place here years ago. When you once decide to get married…_

* * *

Rory threw the postcard on the floor along with all the bills. Why did she have to get married? What if she didn't want to wear that white dress and walk down the aisle? She shook her head and threw the rest of the letters on the floor. All bills… Except from one. She picked it up, but then saw it was from her work. Reluctantly she opened it and started reading…_

* * *

Dear Mrs. Gilmore._

_You have now been working at "The New York Times" for three months, and you have done an impressing job. As you might have heard there is a free spot at the traveling corner, and instead of hire a new reporter, we have decided to chose one of our older employers that knows how things work. _

_You work at one of our smaller departments among seventy other young, talented people, all qualified for a higher position. But we cannot hire seventy people, so we have to pick one. But that will require a closer look at some of you. So we are happy to announce that you are between our ten candidates for this position. But it will also require some harder work for the next few weeks. _

_Candidates:_

_Emma Marilyn Parker,_

_John Rhyland,_

_Lorelai Leigh Gilmore,_

_Alexander Whyman,_

_Mindy Sour,_

_Daniel Whitley,_

_Arlene Dawson,_

_Ethan Merrill,_

_Isabelle Eva Danto,_

_Mark Derek Andrews_

_You will all be send to some place in the America for three weeks and there we will need you to write a piece about the place. Find a story about something interesting. Something small, that you with your writing skills will make bigger. _

* * *

Rory could hardly believe what she had just read. It was like a light was spreading around her. No, the light she'd been walking towards all her life was suddenly so much closer. A traveling journalist! The dream since she was three. Finally it was going to happen. Rory was about to place the envelope on the table, when another pieces of paper fell out. Rory quickly picked them up._**

* * *

Destinations:**_

_Emma Marilyn Parker; Mexico City, Mexico_

_John Rhyland; Los Angeles, California_

_Lorelai Leigh Gilmore; Hartford, Connecticut_

_Alexander Whyman; Seattle, _

_Mindy Sour; Omaha, Nebraska_

_Daniel Whitley; Birmingham, Alabama_

_Arlene Dawson; Miami, Florida_

_Ethan Merrill; Denver, Colorado_

_Isabelle Eva Danto; Seattle, Washington_

_Mark Derek Andrews; Augusta, Maine_

_You don't have to spend all the time in the cities. Feel free to take a trip around in the state you are in. _

_The trip will be paid and all equipment you need will be delivered._

_PS. To celebrate that you have been selected, you are all invited to the party next Saturday._

* * *

Connecticut? How could they send her to Connecticut? She'd been living there all her life, and now she had to work in Hartford for three weeks. Unbelievable! Rory then realized that she could spend some time in Stars Hollow. She really missed that place. She truly did. But what was there to write about in Hartford? Rory sighed and started to wonder about the party. She'd heard about it, yes. Today at work everybody had been talking about the big party, where all the big newspaper people would come. Rory had just heard some of it, but still wanted to go… And now suddenly she was going. It was hard to believe… And as many times before she grabbed the phone and dialed the phone number to her old home in the town Stars Hollow. The well known beeps followed by the sound of her mother's voice.

"Hello, you've reached the Gilmore… and Danes. Whatever. Well, get a life…" But Rory wasn't that stupid. After knowing her mom for 25 years, she knew when it was the answering machine and when it was Lorelai Gilmore .

"Hi mom!"

"Rory… Are you sure it's you, 'cause I have a feeling that my real daughter is dead. She haven't returned my calls for three days now. Oh my God, she's a ghost!"

"Mom"

"What am I going to tell Laura? That her sister is sleeping for the rest of her life?"

"Mom"

"Or that her sister moved to Africa and are never coming back?"

"Lorelai Gilmore!"

"Oh, hi Rory… Sorry, it was my evil twin you were talking too."

"Mom, I'm sorry… I've just been so busy at work."

"Busy. You haven't been home"

"By the matter of fact I have."

"If you say so."

"I'm coming home" Rory exclaimed. It had been a very long week, and now it was finally Friday, meaning weekend. She would finally get a chance to relax, or at least that's what she though until a few minutes ago when she got the letter.

"Home? You're moving back to Stars Hollow?"

"Don't be stupid."

"I'm just whishing. Hun, are you okay?"

"Yeah actually… I'm coming home for three weeks."

"Three weeks? Nice boss you have. He most have noticed how hard you're working and then he's giving you three weeks off. Nice man."

"Actually I'm going to work while I'm there. I got a once in a lifetime chance. There's a free spot at the traveling department and I was picked along with ten others, and now we're being send to some town and there we have three weeks to make the best possible impression. And I got Connecticut."

"How fun. My daughter is finally getting her but to the Hollow, but she's going to work."

"Could you be happy for me? If I get that spot my goal in life will be fulfilled."

"Really? What about settling down sometime and what about kids? Marriage? When I talked to you a few weeks ago it sounded like you have something going on."

"You're sounding like Grandma and Grandpa now."

"Sorry, hun it's just. We really miss you. And if you're going to travel… Okay, I shut up now and leave it to you. So when are you coming?"

"Monday."

"Okay, see you on Monday then" Lorelai said and then hung up. Rory could feel a tear roll down her cheek. She wasn't really happy about this chance anymore. She thought her mother would be thrilled, but suddenly she started talking about marriage and kids. The last thing Rory could think about now was kids. She was young, that had to wait. Of course she's thought about the whole package thing, but she was far away from ready.

* * *

Rory was amused. Staring at the big doors that would lead her inside. Amazing! Rory walked over to the door where a big man dressed in black was standing, staring at everybody that walked by him. Rory slowly dived into her purse and grabbed the invitation. The man just nodded and let her pass. Slowly she walked up the stairs and entered a gigantic room filled with people. It was like a wind blew through her as she walked pass all the rich, well liked newspaper people. Sometimes it was hard for her to believe, that she was actually a part of that somehow. At least now, and if she got that bloody traveler job she would be invited to every single party like this one. She would maybe even be invited to a newspaper meeting in Paraguay, you never knew.

"Rory, hey!" she looked up and saw the other nine candidates. Funny enough she knew the most of them better than anyone else at the paper. They were usually sixty more people, but she was more fond of the small group. But there was one of them she didn't really know, she'd heard her name; Mindy, but they'd never really talked. She looked like the kind of person that didn't talk much, it was also obvious here. She was just standing outside the circle, looking at the smiling faces around her. Rory rushed over to them and was greeted happily.

"I can't believe I got Los Angeles! I've never been to L.A. I maybe even meet Paris Hilton" John exclaimed. Everybody laughed at that.

"Sorry, Rory. But what did you get?"

"Hartford, Connecticut."

"Isn't that where you come from?" one of the girls asked.

"Well, almost. I was born in Hartford, but I grew up in a mini town called Stars Hollow."

"Bummer!" Alexander mumbled. Then the candidates started talking about something else. Some of them were complaining about the extra hard work, where other sounded pleaded with it. Rory couldn't really focus on the in-crowd, she was just staring at Mindy. After a while she went over to her, but Mindy just ignored her presence.

"Hey, I'm Rory… Lorelai Leigh Gilmore" she introduced herself. Mindy smiled weakly.

"Mindy Sour."

"Right… So how are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"No, I was just trying to be polite."

"Go talk to the people over there"

"I want to talk to you"

"Will you just please go away?"

"Fine" Rory snapped back and turned around. Angrily she walked up to the bar and almost yelled at the bartender.

"Martini"

"Gin or vodka?"

"Just a martini with something, okay?" The bartender nodded and quickly handed the glass to her. Rory send him an evil look, and then hurried away. Why was she suddenly in such a crappy mood? When she entered the party just a few minutes ago she had been so happy, but that Mindy girl had ruined it all. Rory drank the martini within seconds and hurried back to the bar. The bartender was standing with his back to her, and as angry as she was, she was also extremely impatient. A few seconds passed by, and Rory really needed a martini, so she did like her mother would've done; she walked behind the bar and started to fill her own glass.

"What on earth…" But Rory cut him off.

"Whoever hired you made a terrible mistake. You're slowly"

"Lady, shut up!"

"And rude!" Rory yelled as the bartender pushed her out from his side of the bar, the safe side. Suddenly a familiar voice caught Rory's attention.

"Well, well. Isn't it Mrs. Gilmore? Here, Mr.… Bartender… Let me pay for the lovely lady's drink." Suddenly Rory was standing in a safe distance from the bar, and she knew it wouldn't be the best idea to go back within the next few hours. Again her attention was caught by the voice. A voice she hadn't heard in years.

"Rory Gilmore… I should have known." Rory turned around and then faced him. The blond boy from college, Logan Huntzburger. _'Of course! I should've know he would be here!'_ she told herself.

"Hey… Logan" she looked at her feet. Why was he here? She didn't want him there, she didn't want him to see her like that. The hardworking girl without no family or friends. She was a loner, so after all they had been right at Chilton.

"I'm surprised to see you here" Logan admitted, which was a pretty bad idea. Why was everybody stamping on her tonight? First her mum, then Mindy and now Logan. Why wasn't she good enough? All she'd done her whole life was trying to be perfect, become the perfect journalist, and now she was so close, but people just kept complaining. Lorelai started to talk about kids, and Logan obviously didn't think she was good enough to become a good journalist. He was just like Mitchum, she could see that now.

"Well, I'm surprised to see you too."

"So… _Ace_, how have you been holding up? I see you became the journalist you wanted to be."

"Yeah I did _become the journalist I wanted to be, _Logan. Despite everything your father said to me, I made it! I climbed the stairs and made it to the top."

"Ace, easy. I know he was wrong. I expected you to climb the stairs, I did."

"Really? Huh, am I surprised or what?"

"Rory, have your mood changed within a few years or what? I've never seen you so… aggressive."

And then she lost it completely. How dare he? How could he? He didn't know her, not even the time they'd been together. She wasn't Rory back then, not after leaving Yale. That wasn't Rory, everybody were right, but she wouldn't admit it. Now she knew what a mistake it was, but there was nothing she could do to undo it. God, she had changed over the years. The real Rory, the Rory she missed. She had lost her when she broke up with Dean. He had always been a part of her. The third time they broke up, she'd lost it totally. She wasn't Rory there and after. He had taken the good Rory with him. God, she missed that Rory. She needed to get it back, soon.

"Aggressive? I'm aggressive? Sorry, but I'm not the Huntzburger here, am I? I'm not the one who got it all, but you did! And look at you now, Logan! Your rich, you're successful, married. Everything your ever dreamt of, no matter how hard you denied it. That year in London really changed you, it did. And you became a person I don't really like. Sorry!"

"Yeah I got it all. Lucky me! Did you ever consider that I might would have liked to work towards something? To do something on my own, and then be something because I deserved it. You deserve this Ace, and you know you do."

"Stop, Logan please. I've earned nothing. I'm just a stupid candidate for a stupid job. I want a life, but I don't have one. Finally I got what I wanted; a job as a reporter, but I work all the time. I'm like one of those insane doctors that works 130 hours a week. Insane! But that's me! I haven't had a boyfriend for two years now"

"Calm down, Rory…" And astoundingly enough, she relaxed. She took a deep breath and relaxed. At the same time some blond woman walked up behind Logan and kissed him on the cheek.

"Darling, who's this lovely lady you're talking to?" she asked. British, defiantly British.

"Rory Gilmore, works at "the New York times""

"That Rory? Yale-Rory?" Both Rory and Logan nodded.

"So nice to meet you, dear. My name is Kimberly Meredith Huntzburger. In case Logan didn't tell you about me."

"Nice to meet you, Kimberly." Kimberly smiled and stepped away from Logan's back, so Rory could see the little rounding on her tummy. Right, now she remembered. Logan was married, and he was already the father of one child, expecting the second. Suddenly it became too much for her. She just had to get out of there. Get out of the world where everybody lived the perfect life.

"I really, really gotta go!" she mumbled as she turned around and ran straight out of the door. She hurried pass the door-man and down the first street. After running for a while she had to stop, just to get her breath again. What was wrong with her? Why was she suddenly so emotionally? She had never seen herself as a nerve wreck, but maybe that was exactly what she was. She started walking the opposite way, 'cause she had run in the wrong direction of home. Home… no home was in Stars Hollow, where she luckily was going soon.

* * *

The road seemed long, but finally she turned down the street where she would find her apartment, but with the apartment came a surprise. She looked up when she approached the steps in front of the door. There on the steps was a man, tall around 6,2 sitting, waiting for her… He heard her footsteps get closer and he looked up. She saw on the expression on his face that he was a mix of emotions, just like herself. He was angry, worried, but at the same time relieved to see her. Rory took a deep breath and walked closer.

"Dean…"

* * *

2nd A/N: The more reviews the faster I'll update.. It's all up to you guys... Just push the little purple-blueish button and write one word (or more :P)

Asta


	5. Through eternity

**A/N: The long awaited update... I hope at least. **

**I want to thank Jaykat for being my beta-reader :P

* * *

**

_PREVIOUSLY ON GILMORE GIRLS :p_

_The road seemed long, but finally she turned down the street where she would find her apartment, but with the apartment came a surprise. She looked up when she approached the steps in front of the door. There on the steps was a man, tall around 6,2 sitting, waiting for her… He heard her footsteps get closer and he looked up. She saw on the expression on his face that he was a mix of emotions, just like herself. He was angry, worried, but at the same time relieved to see her. Rory took a deep breath and walked closer. _

"_Dean…"

* * *

_

His silhouette was not to be mistaken. Not just his height, but also his build. Rory sighed and then wiped away a tear. She didn't mean to hurt him; she never did. She never had.

The time when she couldn't say, "I love you," she hadn't meant to hurt him. At the dance marathon when he broke up with her, she hadn't meant to hurt him.

But she had, and she had been hurting herself too, by not admitting that she had a crush on Jess.

And then she hurt him again by being with Jess. She was an expert when it came to hurting him. She'd done it again when they got back together. She'd hurt him so deeply and she thought she was never going to see him again.

But there he was, standing on the street in front of her apartment. She wanted to run to him and let him embrace her. She wanted to cry out in his arms and have him kiss her forehead repeating, "It's going to be okay, Rory. Everything's fine. I'm here now".

And then she wanted him to take her face into his hands and kiss her softly. But she knew that that was a vague dream. None of it was going to happen. Not after the way she had ignored him. But still there he was. Maybe he still wanted her?

"Stop it Rory!" she told herself. She took a deep breath and then took a few steps closer to him so he was only standing a few feet away. His gaze caught her eyes and she looked deep into the eyes of the man she loved.

The man she had always loved despite all the other boyfriends she'd had. His soft brown eyes more familiar as the "Dean-eyes". Why did love have to be so damn complicated?

Suddenly Rory panicked. What was he doing there? She hadn't seen him in two weeks and all over sudden he was just standing there. He had no right to barge right into her life again. Wasn't it obvious that she didn't want him in her life anymore?

But that was the thing... she did want him in her life again. She wanted to hug him and kiss him tenderly, every single day.

She wanted to wake up beside him every morning and see the sun on his face.

She wanted to make him breakfast and wake him with a gentle kiss on the lips.

She wanted to see him stir and then open his eyes with a sweet smile. She wanted to watch him eat and the make a funny face when he realized that it was her that made it.

Then she would watch him get dressed and then they would walk down to a diner or something and get the best breakfast… well second best because nothing could beat Luke's chocolate chip pancakes.

Then she would kiss him goodbye and then go to work. She wanted to come home at night and kiss him again and kiss him all night until she had to get up again. She wanted to build a life with him, but she knew that it would probably never happen.

She looked deep into his eyes. Why did he have to be Dean? She shook her head lightly and tried to walk pass him, but he blocked the way.

"Rory," and his voice resounded in her head. Why did he have to be like that? Why did he have to be Dean?

She could feel his hands reach out for her, and for the first time in her life she didn't run. She let his hands hold her face. Slowly, he lifted her head and looked into her eyes.

He was smiling and she really wanted to, but the tears that left her eyes made it impossible. Slowly, he wiped them away, and then embraced her with his arms, just like she wanted him too.

There in his arms she cried. She felt the tears coming faster and she started sobbing. Her body was shaking and she would have fallen if he hadn't been there to hold her.

But even now, the time when she felt really safe and happy, there was something inside of her that didn't feel comfortable. She had to get away, she couldn't let him see her like that!

So she broke free of his arms and ran right pass him. Somehow she managed to unlock the door before he really noticed what was going on.

* * *

She ran up the stairs to her apartment, where she opened the door and entered the dark room. It wasn't more than two hours since she had left home, but it had still turned dark.

Rory took her shoes off and put them randomly on the floor. She didn't feel like keeping the place clean; she could care less.

Slowly, she walked over to one of the big windows in her apartment. She looked down on the empty street, just to find him standing there looking up in the air.

She turned away and walked through the living room to the other end of the apartment. There she looked out of another window and saw the city alive. There were cars all over, yellow cabs and limos. She smiled a little. It was a beautiful sight.

Rory's thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing. Slowly, she went over to pick it up.

"Rory?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Hey, it's Paris!"

"Paris? Wow, I haven't heard from you in a while."

"No, you haven't."

Rory noticed something in Paris's voice that didn't use to be there. All the years they had lived together at Yale, Paris had never been an easy person to be around, and Rory knew that very well.

It wasn't exactly lovely memories she had of Paris from her first and second year at Chilton.

But that was far behind them and they had actually become very close friends. Paris called them best friends a few times and being a friend with Paris wasn't a bad thing.

But after knowing her so many years, Rory could hear that there was something that bothering her.

"Paris are you okay?"

"I'll never find a way to cure cancer and AIDS."

"What are you talking about? Did... did you get fired or something."

"No, I did not get fired! I'm pregnant for God's sake!"

"You're..."

"Going to have a child, I know very well. Somebody will have found the cure before I'm back at work!"

"Wow, congratulations..."

"Thanks..."

That was another funny thing about Paris. She could go from being totally panicked to relaxed. Rory really liked that part about her.

"Doyle's, right?"

"Of course it Doyle's! Do you think I was cheating on him or something!"

'_And there we go again,'_ Rory chuckled.

"No, I didn't Paris. So how far along are you?"

"Two months..."

"Wow, only seven to go."

"Yes, seven months. Seven long months. Do you realize I'm going to be fat when summer comes. It's May now and Doyle and I are going to Europe for three weeks and I'll be fat."

"But it'll be a nice fat." Rory said trying to cheer her up.

"Hey, Rory..." Paris began. It was obvious that she had calmed down and felt a little more comfortable with the situation.

"Yeah?"

"Isn't that friend of yours, Lane... pregnant too?"

And then it hit Rory that she was actually right. Lane was three months along, one month more than Paris.

Rory guessed that she was starting to show now, while Paris would still have around a month before a belly would start to grow. It was weird thinking of all your friends having kids.

Even Logan was going to have a second child. Everybody was happy; they had a family and someone to turn to when life didn't seem to accept you.

But Rory had no one to turn to. Well, she had her mother, but Lorelai had Luke and Laura. Rory took a deep breath and made a decision. She was going back to Stars Hollow tomorrow.

"Yeah, she is."

"Okay... Oh, I gotta go. Doyle's home, I have something to tell him."

"Paris!"

"Yeah?"

"This is good, I just thought you should know that!"

"Yeah, it is.. Bye."

"Bye."

Rory woke up the next morning and realized she was still dressed in the dress from the yesterday. She got up and walked over to the bathroom. The woman in the mirror didn't look like her at all.

Her hair was untidy in a funny way and her dress was all curly along the edges. She turned the water on and started to wash her face. The cold water felt good against her skin.

When she finished cleaning her face, she went into her bedroom where she found something more comfortable than the dress. She found a brush and let it run through her hair.

Then she walked into the kitchen where she opened the cupboard under the sink. There she found a bag with coffee, Luke's coffee. He had given it to her before she moved to New York and she had kept it.

She poured herself a big mug with coffee and took a swig of it, but to her surprise it didn't taste good at all. All of a sudden, she rushed to the bathroom where she fell on her knees in front of the toilet and threw up.

* * *

The road seemed longer than it used too. Not that she used to drive to Stars Hollow much, at least not from New York.

Rory was panicked. She needed to see her mother right away, so she was way too focused to get there that she forgot to look at the road signs.

Suddenly, she realized that she had actually forgotten to turn when a sign said "Hartford," and now she had just passed the Boston sign, and she didn't feel like going to her dad.

Christopher Hayden would always be her father, and of course she loved him, but after the thing that happened four years ago with him, her mom and Luke, she hadn't really felt comfortable around him.

She knew it wasn't solely his fault, but she knew he had taken advantage of the situation. He had kissed Lorelai first and almost caused another break up between her and Luke.

But luckily that was in the past now. It had been four years, and ever since Laura had been born things had been great between Luke and her mom.

Rory made a quick U-turn and soon she was driving towards Hartford. On the way she saw a sign that said: "New Haven."

Lots of memories filled her head and she couldn't help but smile. She had really loved going to Yale and there was no way that she regretted choosing it over Harvard.

Now when she thought of college she was reminded that April was soon getting to the point in life. She had just turned 17 and she only had one year left in High School.

April was a great girl. Ever since the day Luke and Lorelai got married Anna had softened up and let April spend a lot more time in Stars Hollow. Especially after Laura was born.

April had been thrilled to have a baby sister and she loved that little girl. In the beginning, it had been a little rough for Anna to handle, but in the end it all worked out.

April now visited Stars Hollow two-to-three times a week and sometimes she spent the night.

Ever since Lorelai told Luke she was pregnant he'd started to add additions onto the house, so now it had two more bedrooms. One for Laura and one for April. Rory still had her room and it looked exactly like it used to.

The miles on the signs decreased more and more till finally, she reached Hartford. She turned and was heading towards Stars Hollow. She was heading home.

It was still early in the morning, she had gotten up around the same time as Luke usually did when he had early deliveries. The sun was just rising over the fields and she could feel the warmth of its rays on her skin.

* * *

Rory parked her car in front of the house. It looked exactly like it used to. She smiled as she turned the engine off. She got out and walked up to the house.

She was sure that they would all be asleep now, so she wouldn't knock on the door. She walked around the porch until she found the ceramic turtle. She smiled as she picked it up and took out the key.

She walked over to the front door and gradually opened it. When the key turned, it sounded with the familiar "click." Quietly, she closed the door behind her. As she expected the house was silent.

She walked into the kitchen that was cleaner than she could ever remember it being. Since Luke had moved in, the kitchen was actually used to make food in. A very rare thing for Lorelai, who found it hard to adjust.

It had taken her some time to get used to NOT going to Luke's every morning. But after Rory convinced her of the fact that it was still Luke who made the breakfast, the surroundings didn't really matter.

So now they ate breakfast in the kitchen. Rory smiled as she approached her own room. She opened the door and looked inside. God, she had missed that room. With a big smile on her lips, she walked over to the bed and laid down.

She was lying there when she heard the front door open and then somebody giggle. No doubt, it was surely Laura.

Rory got up and almost ran into the kitchen, where she found her sister trying to reach the cookie jar, but she was too small.

"Hey, Laura!"

The little girl turned around and the thrill of seeing her sister was obvious. She ran over to Rory and hugged her. Rory picked her up and kissed her forehead.

At the same time, Luke walked into the kitchen and was rather surprised to see Rory standing there. Lorelai had probably told him that she was coming to the Hollow, but she was a day early. Rory smiled at Luke.

"Hi Luke!"

"Rory, hi! I didn't know you would be here."

"Well, I decided to come a day earlier."

"Good."

"Yeah, it's good to be back. So you're up early."

"Got a diner to take care of."

"Right, you do. So... where's mom?"

"At the inn."

"The inn? This early. Please, don't tell me that you got her out of bed before six?"

"They have some guests that like to get up around five every day, so she has to be there."

"This is crazy! In all the years I lived here, I couldn't get her out of bed before seven. Even when I broke up with Dean..." she paused. Just saying his name did something to her.

"Who is Dean?" Laura asked curiously.

"An old friend," Rory simply said. She couldn't finish the story, unless she wanted to have a breakdown in front of Luke. Suddenly she felt the same sickness that she had just a few hours earlier.

She put Laura down and ran to the bathroom.

* * *

Rory washed her face with the cold water and then used her hands as a "cup". She opened the cabinet behind the mirror to see if she could find a glass or something.

As she pushed the different lotions her mother had around, she found a little basket made of plastic. She took it out and picked up the thing inside.

It was a pregnancy test.

Rory was kind of shocked. Was her mother pregnant again or something? God, why did everything have to be about babies and pregnancies?

And then it hit her. Maybe... The thought was creepy, but anyhow, she opened it and looked at the little white stick.

She found it hard to believe that such a thing would be able to tell her if she was pregnant or not.

But she did it; she took the test.

* * *

**And you're welcome to call me a meanie for ending the chapter here. But don't worry, I promise to update as soon as possible. I already got the plot for the next few parts.**

**Asta**


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